Monday 14th March

Today we checked out the hostel and went to book a boat to the Isla del Sol for 1.30pm.

The Isla del Sol (island of the sun) is a legendary inca creation site and the birthplace of the sun in inca mythology. It was here that the bearded White god Viracocha and the first incas, Manco Capac and his sister-wife Mama Ocllo made their mystical appearances. With a permanent population of 2500 Isla del Sol is dotted with several villages.

The boat ride from Copacabana took 1.5 hours (we sat at the top of the boat and it was freezing!) we arrived at about 3.30pm and before we even got on land we had to pay a tax (they actually charge tax for everything here! If they could tax to breathe I'm sure they would!!)

We were then greeted by a boy (about 15) selling us a room at his hostel! We thought great until he told us it was about a 30 min walk uphill!! He offered to carry my rucksack and I defiantly wasn't going to decline! The first part of the walk was a steep monster stairway (made by the incas) each step was a different height and had a stream running down it! By the time I'd reached the top I already needed a rest! (I was wrecked!) then the boy said it was still another 25mins! So we walked, I think I stopped every 5 mins as I couldn't breath! (I hadn't been very well for 3 days so I'm sure this didn't help!)

We finally made it to the hostel, dropped our stuff and headed for a wonder. We walked around, there were quite alot of restaurants. Most property's had animals (donkeys, sheep, pigs, llama and chicken) there were animals roaming everywhere! We were quite bored after an hour! (we might've appreciated it more if we weren't from an island!!)

So we spent a while wondering (I was moaning alot!) the boys walked up to the top of the island (I stayed at the bottom!) The view was pretty awesome (about the only thing that was any good about it!) the clouds had cleared and we could see snow-topped peaks of Cordillera Real and Isla de la Luna.

We did attempt to walk back to the harbour to see if there was a boat available to leave that night but I didn't fancy walking back up so instead we went to find a restaurant for dinner.. We eventually found one, went in and ordered pizza only to be told 10 mins later that they didn't have enough mozzarella for 3 pizzas! So onto the next restaurant and pizza for dinner! We headed back to the hostel (in the dark on very dodgy terrain!) and made it safely to bed!